76ers-Bucks Preview

By NOEY KUPCHANPosted Feb 12 2013 6:25PM

Sitting just outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Philadelphia 76ers have their sights set on catching the eighth-place Milwaukee Bucks.

Adding to the Bucks' recent woes Wednesday night could help them inch closer.

Road-challenged Philadelphia tries to pick up a rare win in Milwaukee, which hopes to avoid a season-worst fifth consecutive loss in both teams' final game before All-Star weekend.

While the 76ers (22-28) have experienced their ups and downs, they find themselves three games behind the Bucks (25-25) for the East's final playoff berth.

"If we can get this win on the road going into the All-Star break, it's not only important from that point, but if they win they get the tiebreak," said coach Doug Collins, whose team is 0-2 against Milwaukee. "We have to find a way to beat this team."

Philadelphia, which hosts Milwaukee on March 27, has dropped four of five at the Bradley Center but could be catching the Bucks at the right time.

Milwaukee is coming off its sixth loss in seven games, 102-90 to Washington on Monday. Monta Ellis had 24 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and a season high-tying six steals, but leading scorer Brandon Jennings had seven on 3-of-17 shooting.

The Bucks allowed the Wizards, who had previously gone winless in all 14 road games against East opponents, to shoot 56.8 percent.

"Right now we are spotty," interim coach Jim Boylan said. "We are not consistently bringing the type of energy that we need to win a game. Tonight we had some spurts and a little pop at times, however we have had a hard time sustaining it in the last few games."

Larry Sanders missed his third consecutive contest due to a back injury, leaving his status for this game unknown. The third-year big man leads the NBA with 3.2 blocks per game.

While Sanders' return could go a long way for Milwaukee, Jennings likely needs to pick up the pace. Averaging 18.5 points, Jennings has been limited to 15.2 per game and 28.8 percent shooting during the Bucks' last six losses.

The 76ers, though, haven't been able to contain him this season. Jennings had 33 points in a 105-96 win at Philadelphia on Nov. 12, then scored 25 in a 110-102 home victory Jan. 22. The Bucks shot a combined 51.6 percent in those meetings with Jennings hitting 52.6 percent of his attempts.

"I don't know if it's a playoff-type game, I think it's more of an us-trying-to-get-into-the-playoffs-type game," 76ers All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday said. "We obviously need to have this game to split the series.

"The last time we played them we didn't really have the energy. Again, we've got to come with the fight. ... We just have to contain them a lot better."

Philadelphia hits the road after concluding a 5-3 homestand with Monday's 107-90 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Nick Young scored 29 points but Holiday and Evan Turner each shot 4 for 14 in being held to 10 points apiece.

Holiday, averaging a league-worst 4.0 turnovers, committed a career high-tying eight in both matchups against Milwaukee.

The 76ers have dropped 13 of 15 in opposing arenas, including five straight by an average of 15.8 points.

Copyright 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Ellis scores 28 to lead Bucks over 76ers 94-92

By RICH ROVITOPosted Feb 14 2013 12:33AM

MILWAUKEE (AP) Before Wednesday night's game, Bucks coach Jim Boylan stressed the importance of beating the Philadelphia 76ers, who are Milwaukee's closest challenger for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

After a shaky first-half performance in their final game before the All-Star break, Boylan lit into his team when they gathered in the locker room at halftime.

The Bucks responded with more inspired play in the second half, rallying for a 94-92 win over the Sixers.

"We didn't have too much energy. Coach came in here (at halftime) and told us off and we responded well to that," said Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings, who scored 21 points to go along with backcourt mate Monta Ellis' 27 points.

"I was in a shooting slump," Jennings said. "I was able to make a couple of shots tonight, finally. I got some shots to go down for us in the third quarter. Monta took care of business in the fourth quarter."

Samuel Dalembert had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who ended a four-game losing streak. Milwaukee heads into the All-Star break with a four-game lead over the 76ers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

"We wanted to get that win and boost our confidence," Dalembert said.

The Bucks ran their season record against the Sixers to 3-0, giving them the tie breaker in the playoff race.

"We put ourselves in a great position by winning this game. That's the message I sent to the team," Boylan said.

Boylan is hoping that the All-Star break will allow his players to "re-charge their batteries."

"Turnovers were hurting us," Hawes said. "It is hard to win when you give away that many easy ones."

Milwaukee didn't take its first lead until about 9:20 remained when Ellis converted a baseline floater to put the Bucks up 78-77.

After Philadelphia had taken an 81-80 lead, Ellis countered with a layup to put the Bucks back in front. Luc Mbah a Moute then made a driving layup, was fouled and converted the free throw to give the Bucks an 85-81 lead.

Dalembert hit a turnaround jumper as the shot clock expired to give the Bucks an 87-83 lead, then had a rebound and put-back to hand Milwaukee a seven-point cushion. But back-to-back baskets by Hawes and a layup by Turner cut the Bucks' lead to one.

A field goal by Ellis gave the Bucks a 93-90 advantage. After a Dalembert miss, Jennings stole the ball on the ensuing possession with less than one minute remaining. After Ellis missed a spinning layup attempt, Turner hit a lay-in with 20.2 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 93-92. Ellis then converted one of two free throws 11.2 seconds left for the final margin.

A scramble after a missed shot by Holiday led to a jump ball. Philadelphia gained possession but Mbah a Moute deflected a pass, saved the ball from going out of bounds and the clock expired as the ball bounced to the other end of the court.

The win marked the tenth time this season that the Bucks have won after rallying from a deficit of 10 or more.

After trailing throughout the first half, the Bucks cut the lead to one early in the third but the 76ers responded with an 8-0 run to take a 66-57 lead with 5:20 remaining in the period. However, an immediate 10-1 run by the Bucks, capped by a driving layup by Mike Dunleavy, tied the score at 67. Philadelphia held on for a 75-72 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The Bucks made only 35.6 percent of their shots in the first half, compared with 55.9 percent for the 76ers.

"This win would have felt great. It's very disappointing," Young said. "You just try to do your best over the All-Star break to get over it."

With Larry Sanders, who leads the league with 3.2 blocked shots per game, still sidelined with a back injury, the Bucks failed to record a block in the first half for the second consecutive game. Milwaukee had 10 blocks in the second half.

"Everybody was block shots out there, and that's what we need," Dalembert said.

In the locker room after the game, Jennings addressed media reports earlier Wednesday that he has "irreconcilable differences" with the Bucks organization.

"People are going to say things. Stuff that was said earlier today wasn't out of my mouth," Jennings said.

When asked if he expected to be with the Bucks following the trade deadline, Jennings said: "To be honest, I don't know. I would love to be. Right now, everything is up to my agent. Whatever happens, before I leave I want to be able to accomplish something here in Milwaukee."

Boylan said he didn't put much stock in the report.

"Brandon and I talk all the time. I talk to a lot of people around the league and a lot of people around Brandon," Boyan said. "I don't get that feeling from his people. He's here. He's a Milwaukee Buck. He's going to do whatever he can to help us win and all that other stuff will take care of itself."

Notes: Bucks F Larry Sanders missed his fourth consecutive game with a lower back contusion. Milwaukee coach Jim Boylan said Sanders sought a second opinion on the injury and that the team was awaiting the results of the latest series of tests. An initial bone scan conducted after Sanders fell hard on Feb. 5 at Denver did not show any fracture. "Hopefully in the next day or so we'll have a better idea of where we're at," Boylan said. ... Philadelphia F Thaddeus Young sat out as his continues to nurse a hamstring injury. ... 76ers coach Doug Collins said he and his team are ready for some much needed time off during the All-Star break. "We've been through a lot this year. It's been a tough year for us."

Copyright 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Notebook: Bucks 94, 76ers 92

THE FACTS: Monta Ellis scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half for the Milwaukee Bucks, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute deflected a pass in the final seconds that stalled a final attempt for the Philadelphia 76ers, giving the Bucks a 94-92 victory Wednesday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Mbah a Moute deflected Royal Ivey's soft cross-court pass seconds after Jrue Holiday won a jump ball with 5 seconds left against Mbah a Moute, who charged out to knock the pass down, then saved it near half court by batting it to the other end as the clock ran out.

Brandon Jennings added 21 points, and Samuel Dalembert finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks as the Bucks (26-25) snapped a four-game losing streak and increased their lead to four games plus the tiebreaker over the Sixers for the eighth playoff spot in the East.

Evan Turner led the Sixers (22-29) with 20, and Spencer Hawes added 19 points and nine assists. All-star guard Holiday finished with 16 points and 12 assists, but it was his missed shot with 8 seconds left that set up the jump ball and closing sequence.

QUOTABLE: "I read it out of Royal's hands. I figured he was looking for their best player to take the last shot, so I saw Jrue on the other side and I just anticipated."

-- Luc Mbah a Moute on his game-saving pass deflection

THE STAT: The Bucks came out flat and never led in the first half. Milwaukee trailed 50-43 at the break and had no blocked shots. In the second half, an active Milwaukee defense had 10 blocked shots. That statistic exemplifies the difference in energy the Bucks played with in the second half.

TURNING POINT: Milwaukee held a slim 85-83 edge and inbounded from under the basket with 5:18 left in the game and just over 2 seconds on the shot clock. Dalembert caught the inbounds pass on the right wing, hesitated as if to pass and then realized he had to shoot it. His 13-foot, turnaround jumper connected and kept the Milwaukee momentum going.

QUOTABLE II: "Obviously [the game was] huge. Not only to stop the bleeding of our four-game losing streak, but going into the break and beating the team that's right on our tail in the playoff position. To get the tiebreaker and another full game up on them -- definitely the most important game to date in the season."

-- Bucks forward Mike Dunleavy

HOT: Dalembert went 8-for-13 on a night where the rest of the Bucks went 29-for-75 (38.7 percent).

NOT: Holiday was just 6-for-17, including the miss on the 76ers' final field goal attempt with about 8 seconds left.

GOOD MOVE: Bucks coach Jim Boylan played both Ellis and Jennings the full 24 minutes in the second half. Ellis finished at 46 minutes, 9 seconds and Jennings played 42:46.

QUOTABLE III: "I just felt like that's what I needed to do. I needed to keep those guys out there. They were both playing well, so I just felt comfortable with it. I know we've got the break coming up, so I wasn't concerned with the next game."

-- Bucks coach Jim Boylan on playing Ellis and Jennings all of the second half

ROOKIE WATCH: Sixers forward Arnett Moultrie played just under 20 minutes and posted five points and eight rebounds.

NOTABLE: The Bucks clinched the season series and any potential tiebreaker by taking a 3-0 lead in the season series. The teams meet again in Philadelphia on March 27. ... Bucks starting center Larry Sanders missed his fourth straight game with a bruised lower back. Sanders went to Chicago for further medical tests, and the Bucks were awaiting the results on Wednesday. ... Philadelphia made 26 of its first 45 shots to lead, 66-57, but then went just 8-for-31 the rest of the way. ... Dalembert posted his sixth double-double of the season -- all within the last nine games. ... Nick Young scored 12 points in the first 8 minutes for Philadelphia, but just two more the rest of the way. ... 76ers forward Thaddeus Young missed his fourth straight game with a strained left hamstring.